Auto top material



Nov. 9, 1931- N. KowlTz 2,098,754

AUTO TOP MATERIAL Filed Feb. 5, 1954 INVENTbR. Max M Mbfiou/lf A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 9, 1937 4 UNITED'STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTO TOP MATERIAL Max N. Nickowitz, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application February 5, 1934, Serial No. 709,852

8 Claims. (01. 154-40) This invention relates to automobile top mateher in the usual manner, which may be embossed rial and the like, and more particularly to autoifdesired, and then varnished with the following mobile top material of improved appearance and composition, parts being given by weight: greater durability. A portion of the disclosure in Parts 5 this application appeared in application Serial 5 No. 619,210, filed June 25, 1932, Phthahc anhydnde 316 Glycerol 184 Heretofore rubber coated automobile top ma- 500 t erials have been made by coating ordinary rub-- g f i i is 5 g g a ggfiig ber coated fabrics with varnish of the black oil 87 10 10 typ and in some cases with colored varnishes, to f I improve the appearance and to protect the rubber 2 53; ig g L ZZ ZZB m era] 10 film from the deteriorating influences-of sunlight g 1 g 313 and weather. The black varnish coated fabrics m SDI have been the only satisfactory type. However, The varnish formed-according to this formula 5 even these have certain drawbacks, for example, is applied in the usual way and is then sprayed 15 the black naturally absorbs all the heat from sunwith aluminum. This aluminum is sprayed on light and in time even the best of the varnishes by means of well known types of spray guns, prefdeteriorate and some times crack. The color erably the kind which take an aluminum wire, varnishes, with the possible exception of very few melt it and spray it in the form of a fine mist. v

colors, have an even shorter life than the black This coat of clear varnish is given a complete cov- 20 varnish coated materials. eringof aluminum and if desired the spraying An object of the present invention is to provide may be repeated until the desired thickness of a fiexible auto top material which will withstand film is obtained. The material is dried and the brilliant sunshine and the weather for much rubber cured simultaneously byheating the prod- 3; longer periods than even the best black varnish uct to about 250 F. for about 2 hours. The

of the prior art. A further object is to provide a product may be used in this condition orif defiexibe rubberized material to which any coat of sired, it may be subsequently coated with a clear varnish or lacquer may be applied if desired. or colored varnish. The film of aluminum in this Other objects of the invention will be apparent case acts as a sealer coat between the rubber go from the description given hereinafter. coating and the colored coating composition and e above ject a e accomplished a o d g as such prevents the surface pigment coat from to present invention by pp to the fibrous being deteriorated by any ingredients of the rubbase, usually rubber coated, a thin protective" ber coating. film of aluminum and then, if desired, ap- It will be understood that the above example plying a surface film of any color varnish over merely illustrates one specific method of carry' 35 the aluminum film. It is preferred to employ the ing out the invention. Any suitable fibrous base usual type of rubber coated automobile top matematerial, such as is used for automobile tops can 1131 d to pp y a coat of an Oil dified po ybe used in the present invention, and such matehydric alcohol-polybasic acid resin type varnish. l may be impregnated with latex, oils, resins,

40 The Single fi u in the a p y drawor the llke, or even unimpregnated, and also may 40 ing shows a section of the material according to be coated th bber omposition or not, as the present inventionthe figure being an preferred. Single fabric materials may also be larged view to show more clearly its character. used and coated in the same way Ref.erring to the reference numeral While the above mentioned oil modified polydeslgnates fabnc base such as drm or sheet hydric alcohol-polybasic acid resin is preferred,

ing; 2 the usual coating of rubber applied to the other varnishes employing natural or synthetic fabllc base, 3 a varnish film containing the thin resins may be used.

superimposed film of aluminum and l a surfac film of cle r or colored varnish If the product is used after the aluminum has ttractive and resistant o0 The following example is given to illustrate one been sprayed on Very a method of carrying out the present invention: Surface 15 Produced The alummum partially Example 1.Aut0mobi1 top material 15 made embedded in the vehicle and a surface coat is by combining two fabric sheets, such as drill or not altogether e ry. it is also app sheeting, with rubber cement. The combined that such a metallic coat will reflect a large per- I fabric is then coated'with a calendar coat'oi rubcentage of the heat and light rays coming to it, 55 a and thereby keep the automobile much cooler than a black or deep colored varnish.

The material also has the advantage that it .prevents ultra-violet light from reaching the rubber coat, which prolongs the life of the rubberized fabric many times that of a similar fabric which is not so treated. A further advantage of the aluminum surface film is that as the film weathers the surface gradually disintegrates' and disappears, continually exposing a new, bright, clean surface of aluminum, which is essentially the same in appearance as the original unexposed film. This type of finish is particularly advantageous for trucks transporting foodstuffs or other perishable material where excess of heat is to be avoided, and the interior of an automobile or truck with this new material is very appreciably cooler in summer weather than when the usual black colored material is used.

When the automobile top material of the present invention is subsequently varnished or lacquered with a pigmented coating, the intermediate film of aluminum acts as a sealer coat and prevents oils and other softeners of the rubber composition from migrating to the surface film. This function of the aluminum film prevents the dulling and more or less rapid failure of the pig;- mented surface film encountered heretofore in attempting to use a pigmented coating composition other than black over the rubber coated top material. The subsequently applied varnish or lacquer shows a durability comparable to that of a similar composition applied to metal or wood.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A material suitable for automobile tops which comprises a fabric base coated with a rubber composition including oil and softener, and superimposed thereon a continuous pliable film of sprayed aluminum which is impervious to the oils and softeners contained in rubber.

2. A material suitable for automobile tops which comprises a fabric base, a rubber composition including oil and softener On the fabric carrying a varnish coat thereon, and a continuous pliable barrier film of sprayed aluminum which is impervious to the oils and softeners contained in rubber adhered to and superimposed on said varnish coat.

3. As an article of' manufacture, auto top material comprising a fabric base coated with a rubber com sition including oil and softener and superposed thereon a continuous film of aluminum which is impervious to the oils and softeners contained in the rubber, the said aluminum film being in the form and united to the coated fabric base in the manner obtainable by spraying aluminum in discrete particle form on the coated fabric base.

4. Auto top material having a fabric base impregnated and coated with a rubber composition including oil and softener, a coat of varnish and superimposed thereon a continuous film of aluminum which is impervious to the oils and softeners contained in the rubber, the said aluminum film being in the form and united to the coated fabric base in the manner obtainable by spraying aluminum in discrete particle form on the coated fabric base.

5. Auto top material having two base fabrics cemented together, a rubber composition coat including oil and softener, a varnish coat thereon, and a coat of aluminum which is continuous and impervious to the oils and softeners contained in therubber, thesaid aluminum coat being in the form and united to the coated fabric base in the manner obtainable by spraying aluminum in discrete particle form on the coated fabric base.

v6. The process of preparing auto top material which comprises combining two fabric sheets with rubber cement, coating the combined fabties with a rubber composition including oil and softener, calendering, applying a varnish coat of an oil modified polyhydric alcohol-polybasic acid resin composition, spraying melted aluminum on said varnish coat until a pliable continu ous impervious coat of aluminum has been deposited, heating the coated material at 250 F. for 2 hours and applying a protective surface coat of varnish.

7. A pliable auto top material having a base material comprising two fabric sheets adherently combined, a coating ofa rubber composition including oil and softener on the base material, a varnish coat on therubber composition having a continuous pliable film of metal thereon which is impervious to the oils and softeners contained in the rubber, and a coating of varnish on the metal film, the said metal film being. in the form and united to the coated fabric base in the manner obtainable by spraying molten metal in discrete particle form on the coated fabric base.

8. A pliable auto top material having a base material comprising two fabric sheets adherently combined with rubber cement, a coating of a rubber composition including oil and softener on the base material, a varnish coat of an oil modified polyhydric alcohol-polybasic acid resin composition consisting of:

Parts by weight Phthalic anhydride 316 Glycerol 184 Linseed oil acids 500 Lead linoleate solution in mineral spirits (2.6% lead) 87 Manganese linoleate solution in mineral spirits (0.3% manganese) 10 Mineral spirits 313 on the rubber composition coating, a continuous pliable film of aluminum which is impervious to the oils and softeners contained in the rubber composition superposed on the varnish coat, and a protective surface coat of varnish on the aluminum film, the said aluminum film being in the form and united to the coated base fabric in the manner obtainable by spraying molten aluminum in discrete particle form on the coated fabric base, the various laminae except the final protecting varnish coat being in the form obtainable and united to the conterminous layers in the manner obtainable by heating the base coat aluminum film and intermediate coats at 250 F. for

2 hours.

. MAX N. NICKOWITZ. 

